Social Security Experience Panels: legacy report

3. Impact from Experience Panels Research

Experience Panels research was used by different teams across government. The following sections outline what impact Experience Panels’ research has had within the three areas of policy, Social Security Scotland and social research.

The sections below highlight some of the most significant contributions of the Experience Panels. Throughout conversations with colleagues in these different areas it has also been possible to determine specific impacts from research, such as changes to service design or policy decisions, and some examples are given.

However, it is not possible to list every way in which the panels impacted each area for a variety of reasons, including:

• The scope of the Experience Panels, covering six years and encapsulating dozens of individual pieces of research, which has generated many impacts both small and large.
• The complexity of decision-making processes within policy environments, where decisions are influenced by many intersecting factors and attributing ‘weight’ to different evidence is not possible.
• The historical nature of some parts of research, where key researchers or policy colleagues may no longer be working within government.

3.1 Policy

During conversations with policy teams, several key findings emerged that demonstrated how Experience Panels research had an impact across different policy areas. These were:

• To develop or support a policy position.
• To promote discussion and consideration of different viewpoints.
• To provide an evidence base upon which further work could be planned.

It is worth noting that these points are not specific to the Experience Panels and reflect the ways in which research is used in many situations within government. However, what was frequently highlighted by policy teams was that having access to the views and knowledge of people with lived experience of the benefits system provided a different and often unique perspective within these uses.

Develop or support a policy position

The most common way in which Experience Panels research was used by policy teams was to develop a primary policy position. This could be either at the initial stages of planning service design or to help inform policy decisions when making changes to an existing one. This was especially relevant when there had not been a corresponding benefit delivered by DWP, or where a policy team had to develop a process relating to the devolution of social security, such as with the case transfer process.

Case study (developing and supporting a position): Case Transfer

Around 700,000 people in Scotland will have had disability and carer benefits transferred from DWP once the new devolved benefits have been fully established. These are the people in Scotland who already received from DWP one or more of the benefits that are being devolved and is clearly a significant portion of Scotland’s population. The case transfer process for Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, which will replace Disability Living Allowance for adults in Scotland, marks the final stage of this process and will begin in Spring 2025.

The Scottish Government recognises that the benefits being transferred are critical for some of the most vulnerable people in society and committed early-on to working with benefit recipients and stakeholder organisations to co-design the transfer process.

In February 2019, the Scottish Government carried out research with Experience Panels members to help co-design the case transfer process. The research consisted of a survey and individual and group interviews, and asked participants for their views on the case transfer process from DWP to Social Security Scotland. Panel members were also asked what Social Security Scotland could do to make the transfer from DWP as stress free as possible. The findings from this work went on to provide the foundation for the case transfer policy position paper, and informed key decisions in the design of the case transfer process.

For example, a priority identified by panel members during research was that there was no disruption during the case transfer process. This became one of the key considerations for the entire case transfer process and is closely linked to the formation of the five case transfer principles that underpin this. These principles are that:

• no one will be required to re-apply for their benefit as part of the transfer process.
• the case transfer process will be completed as soon as possible, while ensuring that it remains safe and secure.
• people will continue to receive the right payment at the right time.
• people’s awards will, wherever possible, be transferred before they would be subject to a DWP face-to-face assessment.
• the Scottish Government will clearly communicate with people transferring.

Policy teams working on the case transfer process highlighted that being able to draw on the views and opinions of panel members was invaluable in supporting their approach and demonstrating how this aligned with the priorities of benefit recipients themselves.

For more information on the case transfer work, please see the Experience Panels publications website.

Promote discussion and consideration of different viewpoints

Another area where Experience Panels research had an impact was when feedback from panel members was used to promote discussion and consideration of different viewpoints. This could be where policy teams were considering changes to an already developed position, or the findings from research challenged viewpoints from other sources such as stakeholder organisations or public consultations.

For example, research on panel members’ experiences of the DWP-delivered Personal Independence Payment (PIP) revealed that some recipients were in favour of assessments as it validated their need for support with their disability and placed this on an official record. This was an important consideration that tested the assumption that all clients would hold negative opinions of assessments, and challenged viewpoints expressed by some stakeholder organisations. Instead, panel members highlighted that what mattered to them was that they were treated with dignity and respect throughout their interactions with social security. Policy colleagues described this as a valuable insight which led to an increased focus on what mattered to people as they went through the process, such as how they apply and how they are treated. Along with evidence from other research, it also encouraged the development of Dignity, Fairness and Respect as underlying principles for Social Security Scotland’s interactions with clients.

Provide an evidence base for further work

Experience Panels research was found to have considerable longevity and relevance over time, with several policy teams stating that they used existing Experience Panels publications as part of an evidence base to develop future work. Several teams noted that the Experience Panels research had enabled them to collect a broad view of a particular benefit, but further research was then needed to develop specific processes. In this context, Experience Panels research was described as providing a valuable foundation that was able to inform the focus for subsequent work. This included the design of public consultations and the content of interview and focus group questions. For example, one team stated that Experience Panels research remained a key component of their contemporary work and research, and one which they utilised continuously even though it is now more than five years old.

Policy teams also mentioned that Experience Panels research was used to provide direct advice to the Cabinet Secretary. They said that because advice based on Experience Panels research was drawing directly from people with lived experience of the social security system, it was held in high esteem.

Case Study: Social Security Scotland Charter

The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 set out the legislative framework and the principles for how the Scottish Government would deliver social security benefits in Scotland. The Act required a charter to be created that reflected these principles, and that it should be designed in consultation with people who have experience of social security and the organisations that represent them.

To fulfil this requirement, in 2018 the Experience Panels were involved in the design process for the Social Security Scotland Charter. The Charter was created through a comprehensive co-design process which included a series of workshops with a diverse group of around 30 Experience Panels members from a range of backgrounds and with different conditions and experiences. The co-design process also included input from a range of professionals who offered expertise on relevant topics, partner organisations, sense-checking and design guidance from Social Security Scotland staff, and a debate in the Scottish Parliament. Together with Scottish Government analysts, these participants collectively created the Scottish Social Security Charter, ‘Our Charter’, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament and published in 2019. You can read full details in the Experience Panels report on the Charter co-design process.

The content of Our Charter is based on a list of statements that represent what the principles in the Act mean in practice to people with lived experience of social security and stakeholders. The drafting of Our Charter turned this list into a set of commitments that focused on delivering a human-rights based social security system centred around the principles of dignity and respect for all. The commitments are short statements which describe the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the delivery of the social security system, and there are around 50 commitments in total within Our Charter.

The full range of activity to deliver the charter commitments is reported each year in the Charter Measurement Framework.

Charter Measurement Framework

To measure and evaluate how successfully the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are meeting the commitments laid out in Our Charter, the Charter Measurement Framework was developed. This involved a similar approach to creating the Charter, using a co-design process with Experience Panels members, stakeholder organisations, the Scottish Commission on Social Security (SCoSS)^[3] and Scottish Government staff.

The Charter Measurement Framework focused on how the social security system should look if the commitments in the Charter are being met. It assesses how Social Security Scotland operates and delivers benefits and is designed to measure: how the agency treats clients, if staff are well supported, how the systems are working and how clients are experiencing the systems. It also covers commitments made by the Scottish Government which relate to policy-making about benefits and what the social security system should do as a whole. These are designed to understand what is being achieved over the longer term.

The Charter Measurement Framework reports on an annual basis, with the main sources being the Client Survey (an annual survey of Social Security Scotland clients), research with clients, staff and stakeholders, official statistics and a range of other monitoring information. To date, four frameworks have been published covering the period 2019-20 to 2022-23.^[4]

Review

The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 requires the Charter to be reviewed every five years. The first review took place during 2023 and was facilitated by researchers and officials from the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland, including the Experience Panels team.

Since Social Security Scotland began delivering benefits in 2018, Our Charter has shaped how services are designed and delivered, from the recruitment and training of staff to the values that underpin the culture of the agency itself. The involvement of Experience Panel members in the creation of Our Charter and the Charter Measurement Framework stands as a lasting testament to the contribution that panel members have made to the development of social security in Scotland.

3.2 Social Security Scotland

Experience Panels research was a fundamental part of the work to develop Social Security Scotland, representing hundreds of hours of research with panel members. By sharing their experiences, views, and priorities, panel members have been crucial partners in helping to design the social security system in Scotland. Panel members contributed to:

• Language used in Social Security Scotland
• Design of Client-facing processes
• Branding
• Local Delivery

“Using the design principle of “what can we do that will be most useful to the applicant?” is heartwarming, innovative and goes a long way to engendering trust between the user and the system rather than suspicion.” (Feedback survey respondent)

Language in Social Security Scotland

Experience Panel members feedback instigated an important change in the language used throughout Social Security Scotland and in interactions with clients. Panel members told researchers that the language used by Social Security Scotland should provide them with confidence and trust when interacting with the service. Specific examples of changes to language are given in the section on ‘User Research’ below.

“I recently had two letters, one from DWP and one from Social Security Scotland, telling me when my PIP will become [Adult Disability Payment]. The tone between the two was quite marked, DWP straight forward, Social Security Scotland much nicer, friendly and personal in tone.” (Feedback survey respondent)

User Research

User Research is another research team that has worked closely with the Experience Panels. User Researchers specifically work on designing the user facing elements of the social security system and are attached to service design teams. Over the course of the Experience Panels, they have conducted research with panel members to test and improve aspects such as application forms and processes. User Research don’t publish their results, but their findings feed directly into the design process.

“It is clear that the overall design of the system does have the claimant at the centre.” (Feedback survey respondent)

For example, User Research with panel members led directly to changes in the language used within the assessment processes for the Adult Disability Payment benefit. Panel members advised they need language that is consistent and will provide them with confidence and trust when interacting with this service. This was particularly important for those with a mental health condition. Panel members also said that the language used should help them understand staff will have the relevant skills, experience and knowledge to understand their condition.

Changes were made to the language used during the assessment process as a result of this feedback. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville, told the Scottish Parliament about these in April 2020:

“The words I’m using here are important: ‘client consultation’, not ‘assessment’, ‘practitioner’, not ‘assessor’. This whole service is built on a relationship of trust with the client, and grounded in the professional ethics and expertise of our health and social care practitioners across Scotland.” (Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People)

This change came directly from the Experience Panels and was fed back to panel members in the Summer 2020 Experience Panels Newsletter.

Social Security Scotland brand

Experience Panel members have been an integral part of helping to develop the brand and appearance of Social Security Scotland. This included brand guidelines, setting out elements such as the colours and font to be used, as well as the Social Security Scotland strapline of ‘Dignity, Fairness and Respect.’ Panel members specifically said that the word ‘dignity’ was important and marked a change in approach from the DWP system. Experience Panels research was also used to develop the logo, images and words used to describe clients across Social Security Scotland materials.

The brand guidance also includes information on the tone of voice that should be used when speaking to clients. Panel members said that they wanted to feel welcomed and to be treated with respect throughout their interactions with Social Security Scotland. As a result, the tone of voice in the guidance is friendly and welcoming. These small changes all contributed to a larger change in the culture of Social Security Scotland and between clients and staff.

Based on Experience Panels research, Social Security Scotland moved from traditional brown envelopes to white in their correspondence with clients. Panel members told researchers that the brown envelopes typically used for official letters can cause feelings of anxiety.

Panel members were also involved in building design, suggesting ways of making these more accessible and providing input on signage. This ensured that clients’ visits to Social Security Scotland buildings would feel more positive and welcoming, helping them to feel supported. The input from panel members also extended to the telephony system, where their feedback suggested the voice and accent which should be used to greet callers and what opening hours would be most helpful for clients.

Local Delivery

Local Delivery is a new element of social security that is being delivered in Scotland. Local Delivery is a service that offers someone person-to-person support to complete applications and identity checks – or just ask questions – at a location that is convenient for them. This could be in their home, at a venue within the local community, over the phone or by video call.

Research with Experience Panels members was a key element of the design and development for Local Delivery. Panel members were asked their views on a wide range of elements for the new service, including the type of buildings it should be available in, accessibility requirements, opening hours, and whether staff should wear a uniform.

Client Panels

Established in 2020, the Social Security Scotland Client Panels continue the successful approach of the Experience Panels in working with people who have experience of social security.

The Client Panels are made up of Social Security Scotland clients. People who make an application to, or receive a payment from, Social Security Scotland have the opportunity to become part of the Client Panels. When the panels started, around 1,000 clients joined. As the number of Social Security Scotland clients has increased so too has the size of the Client Panels. There are currently more than 12,000 members, representing experience of all benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland.

Research with the Client Panels helps Social Security Scotland to understand how clients are experiencing their service. This includes helping to measure performance in delivering the commitments set out in Our Charter. Research also gathers feedback about where things can improve and makes sure clients are involved in developing Social Security Scotland’s systems, processes and policies. For some projects, the Client Panels and Experience Panels teams worked closely together to carry out research with both groups.

Research reports and summaries of Client Panels projects can be found online at the Social Security Scotland social research webpage.

Case study: Social Security Scotland Client Panels - learning from Experience Panels success

The success of the Experience Panels was fundamental in establishing the Client Panels. The achievements of the Experience Panels ensured support for a similar approach to meet the ongoing commitment of Social Security Scotland and the Scottish Government to work with people who have experience of social security.

The Client Panels incorporated best practice from the Experience Panels and benefited from the experience and learning gathered over the first years of the Experience Panels. This learning and expertise was an essential resource which allowed the Client Panels programme to anticipate and think through the complexities of managing a panel and how to mitigate potential issues. Some examples of this are outlined below.

Managing research

Like the Experience Panels, all research with the Client Panels is managed and delivered in-house by researchers. Processes developed during the Experience Panels were used to develop approaches to maintaining records of panel members, ensuring information is kept up to date and protected in line with GDPR guidelines. Processes relating to communicating with members have also been adopted, such as the publication of a regular Client Panels newsletter, setting up an email mailbox, and supporting members to get in touch and take part in research via phone. Another example is using learning from the relationships built between the Experience Panels team with other analysts and policy colleagues to develop policies for working with the Client Panels to make sure research is relevant for members, and provides timely and impactful insight that meets organisational needs.

Accessibility

The Client Panels mirror the accessibility adjustments developed by the Experience Panels in fieldwork, reporting, and wider communication. For example, communication with Client Panel members is in their preferred format (e.g. email or letter), and is as clear as possible, using plain English and avoiding jargon. Learning from Experience Panels in-person events has also been used to develop guidance about the accessibility of research venues, paying expenses for travel and subsistence costs, and providing refreshments that take into account dietary requirements.

Peer learning

From the beginning, researchers involved in the Client Panels have had the support of the Experience Panels team and have drawn on their expertise developed working with the members of the Experience Panels. This has been especially beneficial for things like developing skills in carrying out research such as focus groups and understanding the impact of disability and health conditions on participants’ lives. Some researchers have had the opportunity to work with both panels and have valued that opportunity.

3.3 Research

During conversations with social researchers, it was found that there were two key ways in which the Experience Panels had impacted on social research in the Scottish Government. These were through:

• The creation of specialised research expertise within the Experience Panels team.
• The development of resources and processes that could be used as templates by other researchers.

Team expertise

Over the course of its lifetime the Experience Panels created a repository of knowledge and expertise within past and present Experience Panels team members. This expertise was specialised around planning and conducting panel research with participants who could be vulnerable or have specific accessibility needs. In interviews with social researchers, many recalled speaking to Experience Panels team members as they were preparing or carrying out other research, some of which also involved panels.

This was described as particularly valuable during the early stages of work, where the knowledge and experience of Experience Panels team members was used to inform research design. For example, team members provided support to researchers working with vulnerable groups, advising them on ways to improve accessibility through consulting on the additional needs and access requirements for participants, and developing communication guidelines. Experience Panels’ work and processes were also used as examples of the standards that contractors would need to meet regarding ethical and accessibility considerations. For example, the Social Security Experience Panels – accessibility adjustments.

Some researchers noted that having this experience available to draw on within the Scottish Government was useful as it meant that they were able to speak directly with colleagues to get concrete examples, rather than relying on general guidelines.

Development of research resources and processes

Other researchers interviewed said that they had been able to draw on materials and processes developed by the Experience Panels team to use as a template for their own work. For example, several researchers had adapted Experience Panels consent forms for their own research because they had confidence that they met accessibility requirements.

Other examples included help creating costings for ‘Invitations to Tender’ that were sent to potential contractors for research work, resourcing considerations for research events where participants had additional accessibility needs, and processes around handling expenses and compensation for participants who are receiving benefits (where entitlement may have been affected by additional payments).

3.4 Impact beyond Scottish Government

Whilst Experience Panels research has been instrumental in developing the new social security system in Scotland, there has been interest in the work outside of the Scottish Government from academia and other bodies, and other governments.

In interviews for this report, several colleagues reported that officials from other devolved administrations have discussed the way the Scottish Government have used their additional social security powers and remarked on the novel approach of centring lived experience in the development of the service. For example, the Scottish Government is cited in a report from the Welsh Parliament which discusses how to improve the delivery of social security benefits in Wales. The report directly cites the creation of the Experience Panels as evidence of good practice for designing and delivering social security benefits in a devolved context, stating that “there is much to be learnt from the excellent work in Scotland […] where lived experience directly fed into changes into how the system is administered, and the benefits themselves”^[5].

The Experience Panels have also been discussed in academic research. Strokosch & Osborne (2020) described the Experience Panels as having challenged conventional notions of “expert” and “professional” in the delivery of public service^[6]. Another paper by Simpson, McKeever and Gray (2019) proposed that devolved administrations can function as potential “laboratories of democracy” through allowing exploration of new ways to deliver social security. The authors note that the Scottish Government has focussed on ensuring that individuals who need to access social security are treated with dignity and respect. However, their positive assessment of the Scottish Government’s approach was tempered with questions around how the high standards established can be maintained^[7].

Interviews also highlighted interest in the Experience Panels from public and advisory bodies where lived experience is central to their work, such as the Poverty and Inequality Commission’s (PIC) Experts by Experience Panel. During the set-up of the PIC project there was some shared learning between the panels: researchers involved with the PIC panel consulted with Experience Panels team members on expenses and the approach to ‘thank you’ vouchers for participants, and the PIC panel shared their own recruitment approach and policies with the Experience Panels in return. Although this is a limited example, it suggests that government programmes such as the Experience Panels can be part of a wider local or national research landscape that would be mutually beneficial for those involved.

Other sources have highlighted the Experience Panels as an important contribution to social security policy more generally. Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) has called for the Experience Panels to be retained in recognition of the importance of involving lived experience^[8]. Mind Cymru (a third sector organisation in Wales) also cited the Experience Panels as an example of how people who need to access social security can have their voices heard^[9]. Finally, the European Social Policies Network has acknowledged the work of the Experience Panels and proposes that it is a good example to follow for others who are looking to reform social security and anti-poverty policies^[10].

These examples demonstrate broad recognition that including people with lived experience in social security research and service design is important, and that the Scottish Government has taken a leading role in developing this approach.